Patents Examined by Bobby Rushing, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11154982
    Abstract: An attachment structure for securing a robot arm to a support structure, the attachment structure comprising: a mount for mounting to the support structure; and a carrier for connecting to the base of the robot arm, the carrier comprising: a carrier rotational alignment feature for engaging a complementary robot arm base rotational alignment feature, a carrier axial alignment feature for engaging a complementary robot arm base axial alignment feature, and a locking mechanism moveable, once the robot arm base and the carrier are engaged, between an unlocked position which does not constrain the location of the robot arm base along an axis of the carrier, and a locked position which does constrain the location of the robot arm base along the said axis of the carrier relative to the carrier, wherein the locking mechanism is independent of the carrier rotational alignment feature and the carrier axial alignment feature such that the locking mechanism is not actuated during engagement of the carrier and the robot
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: CMR SURGICAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Thomas Bates Jackson, Keith Marshall
  • Patent number: 11147643
    Abstract: Provided is a manipulator including: a movable part; a drive unit generating power; an elongated flexible long guide member to which the part is attached at one end thereof and the drive unit is attached at the other end thereof; an elongated tension transmission member passing through a lumen in the long guide member and transmitting the power of the drive unit to the part by means of a tension; a tension adjusting mechanism adjusting the tension of the tension transmission member; and a holding unit to which the drive unit is detachably attached. The mechanism includes: a tensioner, provided in a movable manner in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the tension transmission member, that pulls the tension transmission member; and a pressing member, provided in the holding unit, that moves the tensioner in a state in which the drive unit has been attached to the holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yoshii, Mitsuaki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11148280
    Abstract: A robot including, a motor attached to one end surface of a casing of an arm, a reducer output shaft attached to the other end surface of the casing by bolts, a hole provided in the casing, and through which the output shaft of the motor is inserted, a first sealing member sealing a space between the hole and the output shaft, a second sealing member sealing a space between the other end surface and the end surface of the reducer output shaft, a recessed portion provided on a side of the other end surface of the casing and recessed in a direction along the central axial line of the reducer output shaft; and a lubricant agent supply hole provided in the casing and extending in a substantially radial direction or in a radial direction of the reducer output shaft, the lubricant agent supply hole communicating to the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirokazu Kume
  • Patent number: 11144083
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a transmission element for a spring return of an actuating drive comprising: a toothed wheel element with teeth at least in sections; and a locking element including a locking section for locking engagement in the teeth of the toothed wheel element to prevent a rotation of the toothed wheel element in a return direction. The locking element includes a safety element mechanically operatively connected to the locking section and elastically deformable in order to release the locking of the toothed wheel element by elastic deformation of the safety element at a torque of the toothed wheel element in the return direction greater than a safety torque limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Florian Erich Böttger, Andreas Pally
  • Patent number: 11141869
    Abstract: A harness connection structure has a first arm; a second arm which has a base side that is rotatably coupled to the first arm via an arm joint; and a harness that extends from a leading end of the first arm and is guided into an arm interior at the arm joint. The leading end of the first arm has a harness holding part that holds one longitudinal side of the harness. The arm joint has a harness fixing part that fixes the other longitudinal side of the harness inside the arm joint. The harness fixing part is disposed such that the harness is inclined from the longitudinal axis of the second arm toward the leading end of the first arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuharu Sakurai, Yuki Shika, Motoaki Murakami, Taichi Igarashi, Tatsuji Minato
  • Patent number: 11135729
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shaft coupling. According to one embodiment, the shaft coupling comprises a first coupling part with a shaft and a conical shaft section. A tool (e.g. a grinding disc, a drill, etc.) can be fixed to a first end of the shaft, and a shaft collar is arranged on a second end of the shaft. The shaft coupling additionally comprises a second coupling part which has a conical hub into which the conical shaft section of the first coupling part can be introduced in order to form a tapered seat. The second coupling part additionally has a securing element which can be moved transversely to the rotational axis of the shaft coupling such that the securing element can engage with the shaft collar. At least one spring is arranged in the shaft coupling such that the spring generates a spring force which acts on the tapered seat in the axial direction when the securing element is engaged and biases said tapered seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Ferrobotics Compliant Robot Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Ronald Naderer
  • Patent number: 11137061
    Abstract: A motor unit includes a motor including a rotor, a reduction gear including an intermediate gear to rotate about an intermediate axis, a differential including a ring gear arranged to rotate about a differential axis, a housing, oil in a vertically lower region of a housing space, and an oil passage to feed the oil to the motor. At least a portion of the ring gear is lower than a liquid surface of the oil in the vertically lower region of the housing space. A motor axis, the intermediate axis, and the differential axis to extend in parallel with one another in a horizontal direction. Each of the intermediate axis and the differential axis is lower than the motor axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Ishikawa, Yasuo Yamaguchi, Takayuki Migita
  • Patent number: 11130224
    Abstract: A parallel link robot includes: a base portion; a movable portion; link portions coupling the base and movable portions; and actuators attached to the base portion and driving the respective link portions. Each of the link portions includes drive links swung around axes by the respective actuators, and two each of the passive links parallel to each other and swingably arranged between the drive link and the each of the movable portions. The robot includes a drive unit disposed parallel to the two passive links of at least one of the link portions and between the passive links and drives a mechanical unit attached to the movable portion. The drive unit is attached to the drive link with a joint, swingably coupling the drive unit to the drive link around at least mutually intersecting axes, on a straight-line coupling swinging center points of the passive links and the drive link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hyunchul Souk
  • Patent number: 11130225
    Abstract: A working device includes: a linear motion unit having three degrees of freedom and obtained by combining three linear motion actuators; and a rotary unit having three degrees of freedom and obtained by combining a plurality of rotating mechanisms each having one or more rotational degrees of freedom. The linear motion unit is mounted on a mount such that a base portion of the linear motion unit is fixed to the mount. A base portion of the rotary unit is fixedly mounted on an output portion of the linear motion unit. End effectors are mounted on both the output portion of the linear motion unit and an output portion of the rotary unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isobe, Kenzou Nose, Naoki Marui, Hiroyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 11103319
    Abstract: A medical instrument may include multiple joint members and at least two pairs of tendons connected with the joint members and adapted to move at least one of the joint members relative to at least one other joint member. Each joint member may include a main structural body that may be a single piece and includes at least one convex contact surface. A main portion of each tendon contacts the medical instrument only on the convex contact surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: MEDICAL MICROINSTRUMENTS S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimiliano Simi, Giuseppe Maria Prisco
  • Patent number: 11096748
    Abstract: A medical instrument may include multiple joint members and at least two pairs of tendons connected with the joint members and adapted to move at least one of the joint members relative to at least one other joint member. Each joint member may include a main structural body that may be a single piece and includes at least one convex contact surface. A main portion of each tendon contacts the medical instrument only on the convex contact surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: MEDICAL MICROINSTRUMENTS S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimiliano Simi, Giuseppe Maria Prisco
  • Patent number: 11097431
    Abstract: A robotic apparatus includes a neck housing and a head housing. The head housing defines a sagittal axis, a frontal axis, and a vertical axis. A drive assembly is disposed at least partially within the neck housing and the head housing. The drive assembly is configured to move the head housing relative to the neck housing independently about the sagittal axis, the frontal axis, and the vertical axis such that the head housing has a range of motion that substantially corresponds to a human or animal head. The drive assembly includes a sagittal axle extending along the sagittal axis, a frontal axle rotatable about the frontal axis, and a vertical axle rotatable about the vertical axis. The vertical axle is disposed at least partially within the neck housing and offset from both the sagittal axle and the frontal axle along the vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Misty Robotics, Inc.
    Inventor: Miles Keeney-Ritchie
  • Patent number: 11092218
    Abstract: A good-orientation, low-drift micro-movement subassembly for angle adjustment as a precise driving screw for angle adjustment, comprising a slotted knurling handle, a turnbuckle and a central cylindrical shaft. The invention is precise for linear displacement, good orientation, low-drift, stable and reliable adjustment, which can be used for a variety of precision-oriented, small drift, precision micro-angle adjustment of the drive screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Shanghai Institute of Optics And Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Jianqiang Zhu, Gengxiu Tang, Zhigang Liu, Lifeng Du, Xiangyang Pang, Chao Zhang
  • Patent number: 11085513
    Abstract: The system of the present disclosure provides two or more sensors located on two parallel transmission or kinematic paths having different ratios with respect to the actuator position. Each sensor provides a different position measurement output and the difference between the sensor outputs provides a reduced indication of the position of the actuator/moved component. Integrating sensors in the reduction path avoids the need for the reduction gear mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: RATIER-FIGEAC SAS
    Inventors: Bruno Seminel, Adil Sardi, Frédéric Vermande
  • Patent number: 11085534
    Abstract: A gear shifting apparatus for a multi-speed transmission includes: a shifting unit controlling gear shifting by a torque of an actuator; and a parking unit controlling a parking state by the torque of the actuator. In particular, the actuator includes a control motor transmitting a driving torque to a first driven gear of the shifting unit and a second driven gear of the parking unit through a drive gear externally gear-meshed with the driven gears, and the shifting unit includes: a fork slider slidably mounted on a fork rail, a shift fork integrally formed with the fork slider, a cam block connected to the first driven gear engaged with the drive gear and having a cam surface on an exterior circumference for shift-stages, a cam contact pin integrally formed with the fork slider and contacting the cam surface, and a return spring mounted around the fork rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sun Sung Kwon, Soonki Eo, Ma Ru Kang, Minho Chae, Yong Uk Shin, Chon Ok Kim
  • Patent number: 11085537
    Abstract: A gear shifting apparatus for a multi-speed transmission for an electric vehicle includes a shifting unit controlling gear shifting by a torque of an actuator, and a parking unit controlling a parking state by the torque of the actuator. In particular, the actuator includes a control motor transmitting a driving torque to a first driven gear and a second driven gear through a drive gear externally gear-meshed with the driven gears, and the shifting unit includes: a shift fork slidably mounted on a fork rail and activating the gear shifting; a profile drum connected to the first driven gear externally engaged with the drive gear, and having a profile groove formed along an exterior circumference of the profile drum; and a shift lug integrally formed with the shift fork and coupled with the profile groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sun Sung Kwon, Soonki Eo, Ma Ru Kang, Minho Chae, Yong Uk Shin, Chon Ok Kim
  • Patent number: 11085514
    Abstract: A rotary device includes a rotatable member, at least one movable ring, and a supporting member. The supporting member includes a stopping portion. The rotatable member includes a rotary ring and a positioning portion. The movable ring includes an acting portion. The rotary ring and the at least one movable ring are coaxially disposed on the supporting member, and the movable ring is disposed between the rotatable member and the supporting member. The rotary ring and the at least one movable ring is capable of rotating relative to the supporting member. A part of the positioning portion overlaps the movable ring. When the rotary ring rotates relative to the supporting member, the part of the positioning portion pushes the acting portion, to drive the at least one movable ring to rotate until the acting portion is stopped between the positioning portion and the stopping portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: PEGATRON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shih-Wei Hung
  • Patent number: 11077917
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a brake and shift control assembly configured to be mounted on a bicycle handlebar. The bicycle handlebar includes two handlebar parts and a middle part connected to and located between the two handlebar parts. The brake and shift control assembly includes a brake module and a shift control module. The brake module is configured to be mounted on one of the handlebar parts. The shift control module includes an assembly seat, a circuit board assembly, a battery, and an antenna. The assembly seat is configured to be disposed on an end of one of the handlebar parts away from the middle part. The circuit board assembly is disposed in the assembly seat, and the battery and the antenna are disposed on the circuit board assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: TEKTRO TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: I-Chun Liao
  • Patent number: 11073201
    Abstract: A hydraulically operated transmission includes: a pressure regulator which regulates pressure of a hydraulic oil supplied to a coupling hydraulic chamber of a frictional coupling element for starting a vehicle; and a lubrication control valve provided at a lubricant oil supplying circuit for supplying the lubricant oil to the frictional coupling element. The lubrication control valve operates, in coupling the frictional coupling element at start of the vehicle, such that the lubricant oil is supplied to the frictional coupling element at a greater flow rate when a regulated pressure regulated by the pressure regulator is lower than a second predetermined pressure, than when the regulated pressure is higher than or equal to the second predetermined pressure. The second predetermined pressure is set to be higher than or equal to a first predetermined pressure, at which the frictional coupling element is completely coupled, and to be lower than a high pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ishiyama, Fumitoshi Sato, Hiroyuki Okayama, Masuhiro Kawakami, Tomokazu Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11053999
    Abstract: A gear includes a circular base having a front surface that includes an inner region and an outer region that surrounds the inner region. The circular base is rotatable about a central axis. Plural gear teeth are arranged in a same row and extend outward from the outer region of the front surface and are evenly spaced from each other along plural locations on the outer region. Each gear tooth has a cross-sectional width that decreases with decreasing distance from the central axis, and has an outer shape configured to permit any one of the gear teeth in the row to contact and directly mesh with any gear tooth in a corresponding row of gear teeth of a substantially identical gear for any gear angle within a predefined range of gear angles between the central axis of the gear and the central axis of the substantially identical gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Crestron Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Campagna